RealGM

Who: Denver Nuggets @ Phoenix Suns

When: Monday, June 7th @ 7:00pm (10:00ET) l TNT

Where: Phoenix Suns Arena, Phoenix, AZ







Denver Nuggets starting lineup:


C- Jokic

F- Gordon

F- Porter

G- Rivers

G- Campazzo



Reserves: Morrris/Green/Millsap/Howard





Phoenix Suns starting lineup:


C- Ayton

F- Crowder

F- Bridges

G- Booker

CP3



Reserves: Payne/Cam/Craig/Saric


Good luck charms!!!

I hope we come out strong in the first and feed off the crowd.

This has nothing to do with game 2 but I just bought my tickets, flight and hotel for game 4 in Denver.

I live in Dallas and I try to see the Suns whenever they come here, but it’s been a while with COVID, etc. it’s been A LONG TIME since I got to see a good Suns team in person. I’ve never been to Denver and think this is going to be an awesome trip. Can’t wait to see Book and Paul trading daggers while I celebrate amongst Nuggets fans

Golanator wrote:This has nothing to do with game 2 but I just bought my tickets, flight and hotel for game 4 in Denver.

I live in Dallas and I try to see the Suns whenever they come here, but it’s been a while with COVID, etc. it’s been A LONG TIME since I got to see a good Suns team in person. I’ve never been to Denver and think this is going to be an awesome trip. Can’t wait to see Book and Paul trading daggers while I celebrate amongst Nuggets fans

Denver is a great city. I lived there for awhile. I also sat in a suite in the Pepsi Center to watch a game.

Golanator wrote:This has nothing to do with game 2 but I just bought my tickets, flight and hotel for game 4 in Denver.

I live in Dallas and I try to see the Suns whenever they come here, but it’s been a while with COVID, etc. it’s been A LONG TIME since I got to see a good Suns team in person. I’ve never been to Denver and think this is going to be an awesome trip. Can’t wait to see Book and Paul trading daggers while I celebrate amongst Nuggets fans

Happy for you! Scream your lungs out for us!

Golanator wrote:This has nothing to do with game 2 but I just bought my tickets, flight and hotel for game 4 in Denver.

I live in Dallas and I try to see the Suns whenever they come here, but it’s been a while with COVID, etc. it’s been A LONG TIME since I got to see a good Suns team in person. I’ve never been to Denver and think this is going to be an awesome trip. Can’t wait to see Book and Paul trading daggers while I celebrate amongst Nuggets fans

Congrats. Last Suns game I went to was end of January 2020, against the Thunder. Man... I hated CP3 then
I cried that game though because they did a tribute to Kobe Bryant.

As long as they aren't as over confident as I am.

I think this game is going to be a huge test. We have a 4 game playoff win streak going, we've played good basketball for the most part and have shown we can hang with pretty much anyone.

Do we keep that same fight and fire that got us here? Or do we relax a little? I think it's almost a lock Denver wins Game 3 (returning home, resilient mentality, etc.) so I think its crucially important that we take this one and go up 2-0.

Particularly because of Denver's injury situation. If MPJr is limited and Barton is out we need to continue to build our series lead before those guys get right. I'd much rather us be up 2-0 or 2-1 0r 3-0 before Barton comes back and gives them new life and more depth.

All playoff games are must-wins but this is especially one. Playing in Denver due to the high altitude is an issue. Need win these home games then try and hopefully steal at least one on the road.

Jokic is gonna be more aggressive in this one for sure. Hopefully Ayton stays out of foul trouble like the last one.

Tonight will be a hell of a game. I expect a hot start for Denver. We'll see if Monty has counters for Denver's adjustments.

I also expect Denver to come out very hot, but I also expect somewhat of a bounce back game from Booker. Let's get this one and go to Denver up 2-0.

If you have Insider, I highly recommend this article. They discuss adjustments you can expect Denver to make also.

In the buildup to a close NBA Coach of the Year race between Tom Thibodeau of the New York Knicks and Monty Williams of the Phoenix Suns, a narrative arose that seemed to favor Thibodeau -- who eventually won: The Knicks were a Thibodeau team, the Suns a Chris Paul team.

That felt unfair to New York's players and Phoenix's coaches. It was impossible to watch Phoenix's evisceration of the Denver Nuggets in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinals on Monday and not appreciate the job Williams and his staff (and his players) have done crafting perhaps the league's most sophisticated pick-and-roll attack. It was painstaking work, requiring high-level synchronicity and total buy-in into some non-glamour aspects of NBA offense.

It began to click midseason, and then cascaded into an overpowering wave of pick-and-roll destruction as everyone found their sweet spots. After Feb. 15, Phoenix demolished opponents by 10.5 points per 100 possessions with Booker and Paul sharing the floor.

Every trick was on display in Phoenix's rollicking Game 1 win over a Nuggets team that was in theory well-prepared for the Suns' offense after facing a pick-and-roll attack aimed at Nikola Jokic in their first-round win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Denver should have been ready.


They weren't, and it was because of all the layers and wrinkles Phoenix has piled atop what was once a basic offense.

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/31592965/how-chris-paul-phoenix-suns-flummoxing-nba-league-most-complex-pick-roll

Suns are 5.5 point favorites tonight. I'm a little surprised by this number because Denver has a good playoff track record of making adjustments and playing well after losses. I think it's going to be a close one tonight.

Sent from my SM-G986U using RealGM mobile app

Chris Paul and Devin Booker will have something to say tonight about Jokic winning MVP. Similar to what Spyda did last night.

Setting my alarm to 4:30 am to watch this ish

Kyler Murray wrote:Setting my alarm to 4:30 am to watch this ish

3:30 here.

King4Day wrote:If you have Insider, I highly recommend this article. They discuss adjustments you can expect Denver to make also.

In the buildup to a close NBA Coach of the Year race between Tom Thibodeau of the New York Knicks and Monty Williams of the Phoenix Suns, a narrative arose that seemed to favor Thibodeau -- who eventually won: The Knicks were a Thibodeau team, the Suns a Chris Paul team.

That felt unfair to New York's players and Phoenix's coaches. It was impossible to watch Phoenix's evisceration of the Denver Nuggets in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinals on Monday and not appreciate the job Williams and his staff (and his players) have done crafting perhaps the league's most sophisticated pick-and-roll attack. It was painstaking work, requiring high-level synchronicity and total buy-in into some non-glamour aspects of NBA offense.

It began to click midseason, and then cascaded into an overpowering wave of pick-and-roll destruction as everyone found their sweet spots. After Feb. 15, Phoenix demolished opponents by 10.5 points per 100 possessions with Booker and Paul sharing the floor.

Every trick was on display in Phoenix's rollicking Game 1 win over a Nuggets team that was in theory well-prepared for the Suns' offense after facing a pick-and-roll attack aimed at Nikola Jokic in their first-round win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Denver should have been ready.


They weren't, and it was because of all the layers and wrinkles Phoenix has piled atop what was once a basic offense.

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/31592965/how-chris-paul-phoenix-suns-flummoxing-nba-league-most-complex-pick-roll

I will read, and it reminds me of the discussion between D'Antoni and Nash.

I always felt D'Antoni deserved most of the credit there because Nash's game elevated to a new level...his stats were amplified under D'Antoni and typically a PG is past or near past his prime around that age...maybe beginning to decline some, and wasn't thought of nearly that level of player in Dallas.

With CP3 he has shown how much impact he has had on all sorts of teams, especially with OKC and Phx, and I do feel his specific impact unrelated to coaching was higher than Nash.

One reason was Monty was there the year before and on a 33 win pace prior to bubble, and bubble was obviously in our favor with our schedule of mostly playoff teams using bubble as kind of like preseason and like 5 of the teams missing all stars, with multiple teams missing multiple players or almost entire starting units (Miami, OKC, Philly)..Indy missing Sabonis and Dallas KP in one...Wizards missing Beal.

Ultimately we went from a 33 win pace with just Monty to a 58 in pace with CP3 and Monty (in a normal 82 season).

Now I know there were other changes like Crowder instead of Oubre which is an obvious upgrade though I know some may not think so, and adding Payne for a full season which has been great.

But the bubble also did seem to inflate some stats, particularly Saric's who was far better shooting than ever, playing many 3rd stringers since many 2nd stringers were starting, along with Carter and Payne.

Porter is playing.
I get the sense we may see Barton too.
No excuses. Play the best, beat the best, be the best.

WeekapaugGroove wrote:Suns are 5.5 point favorites tonight. I'm a little surprised by this number because Denver has a good playoff track record of making adjustments and playing well after losses. I think it's going to be a close one tonight.

Sent from my SM-G986U using RealGM mobile app

If Porter Jr is out with Barton still out, that's huge and there is really not enough fire power. I do feel the Suns could feel this game could be easy if they are out though so not to underestimate.

I also think Vegas may inflate lines a little because of Phx because I imagine they get a lot more Phx fan money coming in than Denver money partly because Phx fans are more used to traveling to Vegas, not only due to proximity, but because they cannot gamble from Phx. I think we also have a larger fanbase overall.